Drought crisis: all restrictions remain in place, continue to reduce use

Published13th June 2017

CRITICAL WARNING REMAINS IN PLACE TO ALL WATER USERS IN CAPE TOWN

All water users are warned not to increase consumption because of the rain that has been experienced. Dam storage levels are now at 21,2 %. With the last 10% of a dam’s water mostly not being useable, dam levels are effectively at 11,2%. Consumption remains 15 million litres per day above the target of 600 million litres per day. Read more below:

After fielding many enquiries from members of the public, the City wishes to emphasise that due to the severity of the drought, above-target consumption, as well as the unpredictability of climatic conditions, Level 4 water restrictions remain in place indefinitely over the long-term and could be intensified if warranted.

Due to the severity and duration of the drought, the dam levels are much lower than usual at the start of this winter.

Mandatory restrictions imposed by the National Department of Water and Sanitation on the urban and agricultural sectors in the supply area of the Western Cape Water Supply System also remain in force.

‘All water users are warned not to increase consumption because of the rain that has been experienced. Residents should continue to do all they can to keep their daily usage under 100 litres per person per day whether they are at home, work, school or elsewhere.

‘It may take a few seasons of normal rainfall for the dams to recover and therefore continuing to cut water use drastically is vital. It will also help us to build up some reserves for another tough summer that is expected.

‘All consumers must continue to use less than 100 litres per person per day in total, whether at work, home, school or elsewhere.

‘As always, we thank all of those water users who continue to save water. We challenge our users to get collective usage down to below 600 million litres per day – we can do it. We cannot afford to relax our efforts now.

‘We are very grateful for the rain that continues to fall. Since the storm made landfall last week on Tuesday evening, we have received good rainfall in the catchment areas supplying the metro, although uneven across the various catchments. The Wemmershoek Dam catchment received 111 mm of rain, while the Steenbras Dam catchment received 37 mm of rain, but further rainfall remains unpredictable,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services; and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg.

Residents can contact the City via email to water@capetown.gov.za for queries or to report contraventions of the water restrictions (evidence should be provided to assist the City’s enforcement efforts), or they can send an SMS to 31373.

For further information on how to adhere to the less than 100-litre usage requirement, residents should please visit the water restrictions page on the City’s website: www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater